Still in her getaway car, Betty is wondering about the fate of Bruce Banner, especially when she can’t seem to help him when he’s in his monstrous form. The cops that stopped her are trying to tell her that she should leave the area, as a creature that makes the Hulk look like a flying nun is in mortal combat with her beau. Betty drives right to the melee, even though she knows its suicide, she just loves Banner too much! I’m surprised her father didn’t get a psychologist to check her out, though mental health wasn’t exactly all the rage back then.

In the battle, Major Talbot is trying to slow down the radioactive beast man with a mere gun, and it obviously isn’t working. Right as the monster retaliates, Betty drives into the fracas and smashes into it, barely doing any damage except to herself. With the car a wreck, Betty falls out of it and boy howdy are they in trouble now!

Meanwhile, General Ross gets Nick Fury on the line and demands that the Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division to deal with the monster and let the Hulk’s capture be done by the Air Force. The immortal spy prepares his equipment for the mission ahead, telling his men to launch their glide-slider when ready.

Back at the battlefield, Bruce and the others try to get away, but the monster grabs Bruce with such force that it might have killed him if it weren’t for the fact that the ray from last episode was temporary! The Hulk returns and smashes the caveman in the face. Realizing what has happened all along, Betty being hurt, the green titan’s fury grows ever bigger, allowing him the upper hand in this fight. The Missing Link is then thrown into a nearby building, and the Hulk climbs after him. The beast jumps onto the emerald brute but before the fight can continue, a flying machine suddenly takes the two a la alien abductions!

General Ross arrives on the scene, thinking it’s SHIELD that did it, but… it was some dirty commies! Their leader named, Colonel Brevlov, is rather satisfied that this mission is over and prepare to take everyone back to the USSR. On the ground, Nick Fury arrives and learns that the Hulk being taken away wasn’t his doing. He tells his right hand man, Dum Dum Dugan that “Brevlov’s back in action!”

Back on the Ruskie Airship, Colonel Brevlov does not wear a protective suit like the others and tells a soldier that something must be done about the Radioactive Beast, especially when the North Koreans/Chinese couldn’t handle it. Before they can even start planning on how to destroy it, the Hulk breaks free from his prison and starts wreaking havoc on the the ship. Clearly, he is searching for his glowing monster foe. Haven’t the Soviets even remembered how to keep the Hulk gassed and unconscious?

The Radiant Crystal Caveman in his cage starts to remember how he came to be. He was just a mere caveman wandering the Earth until a volcano erupted and ignited some radioactive material. Trapped in his hole, he basically turned into the creature seen today.

The Hulk continues his rampage through the ship, and the Soviet soldiers try to keep him under control. By then Brevlov realizes what a fool he’s been, as an entire hole is blown through the side of the hull. To make matters more complicated the beast man under the influence of the Soviet Containment Ray explodes. At least that takes care of that enemy, but all those poor cannon fodder back on the ship. Brelov is currently free-falling with the Hulk, thankfully, and is saved by a Soviet Saucercontaining the rest of the crew.

The Hulk is dumped on some random farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, and the debris causes a farmhouse to burn. All that is left inside is a little boy, and the Hulk decides to save the poor brat and flees. Brevlov must make the decision to kill the Hulk using the saucer’s powerful laser, but is then complicated by the small bundle in the brute’s arms. What will happen now?

This was a quite disappointing episode regarding the Missing Link, especially when it could’ve used some Banner to stop it B-Movie style, even with Nick Fury’s help. But it exploding because of the intense pressure on its head caused by the Soviets? Pretty sad way to go.

We begin with the front page headlines of the Daily Bugle, with a front page editorial by J. Jonah Jameson. Makes you wish Peter Parker was there to take the photos… Bruce Banner is imprisoned at Sing Sing, though wouldn’t cops put them in Rikers first? In his jail cell, Banner tries to fight his captors and call for the General and Major. His cries fall to death ears, and he is quickly knocked out with a powerful tranquilizer.

In another part of the city, the man known as Flint Marko is about to finish a process that took him three months, allowing him to become the Rhino once again! The last time he fought Spider-Man, his suit got dissolved by an acid developed by the wall-crawler, and it left him weak and vulnerable as a puny human. With this new suit, impervious to acid and bombarded by Gamma Rays, the Rhino is back in action. His employers now have their sights on the Hulk and command him to go and destroy him.

Meanwhile, Banner is tormented by dreams of the Hulk, no matter what the tranquilizer can do. General Ross, Betty, and military personnel are are hand to make sure Banner’s transfer goes smoothly. Betty is her usual caring self, demanding to be near Bruce, but is denied the demand once again. As the heavily armored ambulance with Banner inside goes along the Long Island Expressway, the Rhino appears and attacks. Not far away Rick Jones is driving to the scene.

The Rhino drags Banner to a helicopter, while Ross and Betty fight tooth and nail to stop his kidnapping. Suddenly, Rick Jones’s car flies out and smashes into the chopper. The General falls off the whirlybird, while Betty remains aboard as a hostage. In the chaos, Banner is about to fall out of the helicopter due to the Rhino’s poor handling, and his pulse rapidly increases, turning him into the Hulk once more. The titan smashes the helicopter motor, and safely lands its passengers on to the ground. Now that Betty is safe, the fight can begin.

The gray ungulate-wannabe tackles the Hulk in the back, and what does Betty do? As usual she cries that the Hulk mustn’t be harmed! With the green brute on the ground, his foe attempts a body slam on him but our hero powerfully kicks them away. The Hulk realizes something is wrong with the girl, and he goes to her aid. Betty is trying to stop the helicopter pilot, but he’s carrying a loaded gun. The Hulk scares the guy away, and takes Betty somewhere safe, to the top of a watchtower. So he isn’t concerned that either he or his foe may crush that thing apart in their melee?

Landing on the ground, the Hulk gets punched in the face by the Rhino. He returns the favor by using all of his strength to smash him to the ground. The Rhino gets up again, and the Hulk gives him another gargantuan punch. The grey costumed freak throws a truck at him, but the Hulk uses it and smashes the Rhino once again, causing an explosion. The suit makes it hard for the Rhino to see and breathe, especially in a fire, so the Hulk takes him to a quieter place for a fair fight. The match could stop now, the Hulk says, but the Rhino remains defiant giving him a death wish. The brawl continues as parts of the Rhino’s costume is finally torn apart, and with each punch either side delivers, one of them will surely be closer to death. The Rhino doesn’t get up anymore in the end.

The Hulk goes and checks on the girl, and is soundly yelled at by the General. He doesn’t care, as it is Betty that matters the most. Betty awakens from her spell, and tells the Hulk to go away. Instead, he kidnaps her. What the hell is he up to now?

Rather than having to start again at issue seven, they decided to change the title of Tales to Astonish to the Incredible Hulk. Why would they do that besides reducing confusion? It may as well be a tactic used by Marvel Comics regarding a set limit of how many titles they can publish within a given year back in the 60s. I’d try to find that article, but all Google can give me is some stupid things about the “NOW initiative,” even after being more specific. I’d have to go searching sooner or later. Anyway, be happy that this starts the Hulk’s series once again!

The Hulk, after being zapped by Loki, plummets to his death in a bottomless chasm. It really doesn’t help that he has transformed back into puny Banner, until the Executioner and the Enchantress save him. Well, I wonder if this is the past for the Executioner, as he was in the future conquering things until the Hulk stopped him. Anyway, the beautiful sorceress saves him for this mortal may know something about Hercules, to whom she have given her heart.

Back on the surface, the Hulk’s new friends wonder what happened to him. No matter what the case, Volstagg decides to continue their journey to Oldar the Oracle. They reach the Oracle’s place after an hour’s ride, and see a gong in the forest. They strike it and an old lady suddenly appears from where the gong once stood, I was actually expecting Gary Owens or something. The warriors stand back at her frightful appearance, and the fat one complains that her ugliness is a sign of her evilness. Oldar starts telling them the story of the Hulk all in a poem with rhymes. It’s pretty impressive as the whole saga is condensed and told in about four pages. The story ends, and the warriors learn to sympathize with their new friend, though they are concerned about what happens now that the Hulk may be free.

At the Enchantress’s home, Banner is tied as a prisoner and interrogated regarding the whereabouts of Hercules. The Executioner grows tired of Banner’s ignorance, and tries to strike his milksop captive. Banner turns into the Hulk just as the axe strikes, and Skurge is surprised to see an old foe. What?! Did he somehow go into the future too?! They didn’t really give an explanation, though it happened in Thor probably. The Hulk and the Executioner fight as the Enchantress tries to knock out our green giant. She summons a troll army to deal with them, and it still isn’t enough as the Hulk tears apart their abode. Our hero eventually escapes, but not before we see some more political intrigue! The Executioner has an entire troll army in the wings for the “total defeat of Asgard!”

The Oracle tells the warriors one more thing, that Asgard is about to be invaded and that the Hulk is still alive. The warriors leave for the kingdom. Meanwhile, as Asgard knows nothing about the rebellion, the Hulk is still tunneling thousands of feet below to the surface. Above, the troll army begins their attack led by the Executioner and the Enchantress. The Hulk finally reaches the top and sees the trolls thirsty for blood, while the three warriors struggle. He goes and smashes up some trolls, confounding Skurge once again.

Odin appears and quickly ends the battle, swallowing every troll on the land and ending the battle. Enraged, the Enchantress zaps the the Hulk as a final resort, pratically killing him. Fandrall goes to his side to mourn his death, but Odin allows the Hulk to live. Being his usual cantankerous self, he goes and attacks the king of Vikings but is stopped by Balder pleading that the Hulk doesn’t understand anything. Odin does the merciful thing and sends the Hulk back to Earth because the green gargoyle did help Asgard repel the invaders. But where will the Hulk land?

I spoke too soon last night about NBC not airing the London Olympics 2012 opening live. It would’ve been cool to see it but they’ve decided to tape it and then slap a crapload of commercials on it. Thankfully I didn’t have to listen to Train singing that awful song this time, though Pizza Hut decided to do an old hat commercial rather than something I don’t know, related to the Olympics? Back to topic, I don’t really exactly know what kind of pitch Danny Boyle gave to the IOC, especially when there are better British Directors available, but all in all it was a weird opening. Fun at some spots, Wallander was quoting the Tempest, and sometimes a bit jumbled, just what I expect from a plate of Britain’s National Dish.

So, while the world’s greatest athletes attempt to reach a high level of greatness, in this issue the Hulk enters a higher plane of existence as he goes to Viking Heaven, Asgard.

Still lying prostate on the ground after his last battle with the Sub-Mariner, Bruce Banner is suddenly transformed into the Hulk by means of magic. Who could do such a thing but Loki, God of Mischief? While Thor is off doing his thing, the Trickster decides to summon the green giant to Asgard to wreck havoc on its inhabitants, distracting Odin and gaining power for himself. Ah, political intrigue!

The Hulk arrives on the Rainbow Bridge and its gatekeeper, Heimdall sees him approach. “By the Deadly Dread of Ragnarok!!” it’s time to fight! First the all-seeing guardian zaps him with his “sabre of sorcery” to push the Hulk away, but he retaliates by smashing the rainbow road. Heimdall falls off, leaving the mightiest misanthrope to go into Asgard. meanwhile Loki sits on his chair and gloats, as it will be a matter of time for him to overthrow his father. Odin has a strange feeling that something is going on, but thinks its heartburn.

The Hulk enters the forest and is challenged to battle by Hogun the Grim horserider. Being a gentleman, he throws Hulk a battle axe, but the brute does a thunderclap, sending him away. More Viking Warriors approach to see what’s the matter, and all they can do is watch as Hogun gets his butt kicked. Loki gloats some more, ugh. They fight a little bit, but the Hulk decides to stop the fighting and demand answers. Just as Fandral tries to talk with the brute, more warriors come to join the battle. He stops them, but Loki makes the situation worse by declaring that the Hulk must die!

While Fandral and his party go visit Oldar, the Oracle to see what to do with the Hulk. Loki takes the initiative and turns the Hulk back into Banner and throws in into a chasm. What was the point of bringing him here in the first place?

Right now the 2012 Summer Olympics is underway as I sit here typing this sentence, and all NBC the network can do is air Ellen. I have nothing against her, she’s a fine talk show host, but when some awesome is happening right now you’d think they’d show it. Four years ago I saw the Beijing one, and it was terrifyingly cool. This year, if I wanted to watch it, I’d have to pay for a cable subscription, which I’m not. So while I wait for the Youtube to post it, I’ll review something almost as big, a battle between the two stars of Tales to Astonish, the Incredible Hulk and Namor, the Sub-Mariner.

Meanwhile while we were hooked on the Hulk’s adventure, the Sub-Mariner had a little political upheaval to deal with and was ousted out of his undersea kingdom. He watches a video of the Hulk destroying the Living Lightning base and wonders if the brute would make a fine ally. But what about his eyesight, as Namor watches the video on a giant screen bigger than he is. He goes to the surface world and is quickly attacked by a vessel, and the deposed king retaliates but not before the sailors contact their “master,” not their admiral or any naval officer, their master.

The scene switches to a bald man talking about how Namor might have saw through his scheme that involved an experimental vessel and a puppet crew of two. Why it’s none other than the Puppet Master, that old Fantastic Four villain, looking not as creepy and skinny as usual. He’s even wearing a super villain outfit. Before the old man can do anything, Namor quickly sinks the ship. Once again finding failure, he smashes a statue of Namor (he wanted to control him), and decides to switch targets on to the Hulk. He builds a little voodoo doll in the likeness of the green ogre, and irradiates it to somehow tap into our other hero’s mind. And so, the Hulk awakens and smashes his way out of the landslide he was trapped in last episode.

At the base of the peak, General Ross prepares to blast the mountain apart to clean up the mess from last issue. Rick Jones runs in and tells them not to do it, as it would mean killing his best friend. He futilely tries to dig through the dirt, but suddenly the Hulk jumps out. Rick runs to him, but the Puppet Master tells him to slap him aside, and the young boy is sent to the hospital. General Ross once again vows to take down that emerald menace.

The Puppet Master leads the Hulk to the location of the Sub-Mariner, commanding his slave to swim and leap miles and miles to him. Namor sees the Hulk and pleads with him to join forces, and the prospective ally responds with a punch. Namor kicks him away, and returns the favor with a two handed swing. The fight continues with neither side giving up, and the Sub-Mariner decides to lure him into the sea and taunts his foe. The Hulk starts to get confused until the Puppet Master corrects him, and they begin again. They tussle some more and then the Hulk throws Namor far into the sea, handing him the terrain advantage. The old man berates our simple-minded gargoyle of this boner. Namor struggles to keep his balance and successfully manages to fall into the sea safely, but not before poking a hole through a sailboat.

At the missile base, Betty leaves her room to check on the situation, and finds Rick seriously injured. Seeing his weak form has convinced Betty that her love is truly lost withing that savage beast. Glenn Talbot now has to opportunity to seize her love, but decides against it because this would be the coward’s way out. He now has to focus his energies on killing the Hulk instead to win her heart. Aw, to think he’d have done more by now but the drama is just too much for any sort of lull time.

Namor decides that this battle will be one to the finish, after the ignominy that the Hulk has just dealt. He flies back to the shore and it turns out to be Miami of all coastal cities. Just as the Hulk leaps down to the city, the Sub-Mariner tackles him, shouting his battle cry, “IMPERIUS REX!” He slams the oversized ogre into the sea and starts pummeling him with no regard to the surrounding area. The Hulk is then commanded to jump and he takes Namor with him all the way over the condos.

The battle alerts the authorities, and Talbot demands that he should lead a task force armed with missiles. General Ross definitely denies that request, as it would mean blowing up the City of Magic. Back in Miami, the cops are on red alert and are told to leave the combatants alone for it would be suicide. Soon, Namor flies away for a quick retreat, and the Hulk decides to chase him. The giant brute’s leap accidentally totals a helicopter, and Namor and the Hulk try to save the pilot inside.

After that brief rescue, the Puppet Master commands the Hulk to take this opportunity and kill the Sub-Mariner. Refusing to, the simple-hearted brute fights the order with all of his strength. “Hulk does not want to kill!” he shouts, and Namor realizes what is happening, the Hulk is being controlled! The Sub-Mariner leaps into action and churns a funnel wave that Stan Lee describes as a “living Holocaust,” weakening the mental link between the Puppet Master and the Hulk. The resulting tidal waves also hit the actual location of the old man, and his plan is finally foiled.

Namor decides to go check on the Hulk, and finds the body of Bruce Banner instead. The former King of Atlantis leaves as the waves wash over the beach. The Hulk-puppet is among the debris that floats in the sea.

Trapped inside a prison cell with the Hulk, there’s only one thing Betty Ross can do, try to show her love to the man inside of him. The Hulk just stands there and stares at Banner’s beau, feeling the gentleness of her touch.

Outside, General Ross remains defiant to the Lord of Lightning’s orders. The faux-kaiser demands he surrenders on a national broadcast, and Thunderbolt’s conditions are clear, set Betty free or die by his hand. So the LoL goes to check on his prisoners, and tries to convince the Hulk that Betty is the enemy. With the trust grown between the two after two volumes, of course the green giant disobeys the lord’s order and hurls him into a wall. Before he take Betty outside, the lord’s minions zap Banner forcing him to turn back into Banner.

On another part of the base, Major Talbot takes out his guard and takes his uniform. He has to reach the radio transmitter to call the Pentagon, and save Betty.

At the prison, General Ross is finally thrown in with the prisoners and the Lord of the Lightning commands one of his cronies to shot Banner. They think that by killing Banner they will be rid of the Hulk, but before anybody can do it, Talbot comes to the rescue. The Major’s reinforcements come soon after and the Living Lightning, or what’s left of them, make a hasty retreat. Before anybody can start the cleanup, one big problem remains. The terrorists still have some of Banner’s missiles and intend to use them. Didn’t Banner invent a anti-missile system?!

Banner transforms into the Hulk, and in his rage goes directly after the Living Lightning for lying to him. He smashes the base to smithereens and so the LL are gone, good riddance!

Next issue is a whopper as the two main characters of the the Tales to Astonish series meet up for a titanic tussle.

In this issue, it seems that Marvel Comics is either done with Soviets or are saving them for some other series. This time the villains are called the “Living Lightning,” who dress in German World War One gear, and are as bonkers as Captain America’s Nazi foes. If the Reds couldn’t stop them, what chance to these blitzkrieg blunderheads have on the green-hued titan?

The story begins with the Hulk going about his daily routine of leaping from mountain to mountain, and he collides with a strange looking jet plane. It crashes and the Hulk rescues the pilot landing somewhere relatively safe. The man eventually awakens and instead of running away, he pleads to the Hulk that the Living Lightning can do something for him. The Hulk takes the pilot upon his shoulder and jumps according to the puny human’s directions. They eventually reach a mark on the ground with a lightning bolt symbol. They soon see a giant cave on the side of a mountain, and its doors open.

During the Hulk’s trip into space, it seems that the media is still using the fact that he’s still “missing” as a hot topic or else it would be “no news is good news!” With all of the other super heroes, there wouldn’t be more interesting news? Anyway, Rick Jones and General Ross, separately, are still wondering where that gigantic misanthrope is at the moment, however Thunderbolt decides to give up on his search. A new mission is about to start for Talbot and co. and it is called “Operation Lightning,” which targets a terrorist group called… you guessed it, “The Living Lightning.”

Back at that weird cave, the Hulk gets zapped by the contraption inside with a lightning bolt. The Hulk destroys part of the machine, but is no match for the deadly voltage that it emits. Soldiers dressed like stereotypical WW1 Germans with the pointy hats appear out of a door rank and file and take the Hulk and the pilot away. The pilot recovers and is addressed by the leader, “the Lord of the Lightning.” The pilot pleads that the Hulk would make a fine ally, and the Lord thinks it would be a great idea to use the dimwitted brute.

The leader visits the Hulk, and although he is met with hostility, he quickly convinces his new friend that with the Living Lightning, he will be free to live in peace with them. The other soldiers are commanded to treat the Hulk like an honored guest and give tea and a little song & dance routine. The Hulk is impressed and like that he helps the Living Lightning with various tasks around the base and whatnot.

Outside, Major Talbot is studying the movements the LL Brigade and is soundly ambushed by soldiers. The Hulk is there, and Talbot outright calls him a traitor for aligning with these terrorists. The Hulk responds how the Army has always tried to kill him, but here they treat him like a friend. And he smashes his way out, leaving the story to be “Hulkinued!”

The Hulk remains aboard the spaceship headed for the Planet Wundagore II, when the High Evolutionary calls for the original pilot, Sir Ram. However, the Goat Knight is either dead or knocked out due the Hulk punching him in the head. The High Evolutionary calls for Ram, warning that a cosmic storm is about to erupt near the planet. The Hulk doesn’t know what to do and ends up making the situation worse by smashing the control panel. Confused by all the buzzing lights and sounds, he goes to seek out the pilot who is still in the cargo bay.

The High Evolutionary is definitely banking on the Hulk arriving because time grows short and all of his beast men will destroy the planet and him as well.

Back on the ship, Sir Ram tries to stabilize the ship to avoid the cosmic storm. He succeeds, but ends up dying as a result of absorbing all that radiation. The Hulk cries at another loss of a new friend, and after absorbing all that cosmic radiation as well, turns back into Bruce Banner. The High Evolutionary has managed to turn on the ship’s cameras and notices that the Hulk has turned into a normal human being, and now must take the ship in for a safe landing. Banner notices the dead body of Sir Ram and thinks the Hulk may have killed him, and can’t do anything but watch as he descends into Wundagore II.

Banner leaves the ship, and finds the High Evolutionary, who confirms that he is human under that armor. The host gives his new guest a tour of this highly advanced laboratory, and while Banner’s back is turned, he zaps him with a “vacuum ray.” He traps Banner in a glass cage and and tells time that he cannot afford the Hulk to rampage in his lab too early. Now the High Evolutionary is ready to advance Banner’s evolution by 10 million years! What the hell?!

A brand new volume and the dawn of a new chapter in the “saga of the world’s most misunderstood misanthrope” that is not Gregory House. Marie Severin has been chosen as the new artist and she is just amazing. Jack Kirby and Bill Everett and the like were great artist with the Hulk as they created bold and exciting stories, but Severin just kicks it up a notch. Everything is just more intricately detailed, and the characters’ emotions just show through, especially in black and white print.

After his epic battle with that horrible Abomination, the Hulk has gone missing. For an entire month, the world has wondered where he is, and reporters are still bugging General Ross and other top brass to reveal his location. Nobody has a clue of where either Dr. Bruce Banner or the Hulk is at the moment, and people wait in anticipation. Betty is still grieving over her love’s disappearance, and despite all of Glen Talbot’s best efforts, she still won’t let go. Rick Jones calls the teen brigade too and also can’t get an answer as members from all around North America don’t have a clue.

In New York City, a bearded man carries a mysterious package. His inner monologue reveals that he has all of the components for something, and if this were a post 9/11 thing he’d be in jail. As he heads up to his apartment, his neighbors can’t help but wonder in suspicion. He reaches his abode, and it’s none other than Bruce Banner, though it could be Grizzly Adams… Inside that flat is a gigantic gamma ray machine, and how could anybody miss that even as it’s under a skylight? Banner activates the machine and hopes the gamma ray machine can rid himself of the Hulk. It is obviously a failure, and Banner’s anger causes him to transform once again after a long absence. His neighbors complain about the noise, and the Hulk busts out of the apartment with a loud “krrusk!” flying far away. The alarm is sounded, and the Hulk is in torment about the fact that he has nowhere to go.

In the night sky, he spots a flying saucer and chases after it. He grabs it but falls to the ground with a big impact. That flying saucer goes toward him and it turns out to be… the Silver Surfer!

In the middle of the night, a masked thief rappels down a building. The lighting is almost non-existent, so much for the actor’s safety. He uses a diamond cutter and opens the window and enters. He finds the safe, and is soundly arrested by the cops.

En route to the police station, the detective remarks he was expecting the Phantom Thief 001 to be.. dashing, not this mopey kid they have. Suddenly a monster with flashing eyes causes the police car to crash and some Ninders appear to take 001 away.

The setting sun.

The next day, Hitomi tells her boyfriend a monster appeared and it is somehow connected to the escape of 001. Takuya asks if anybody saw the monster, and learns that a Detective Matsumoto saw it. Hitomi is excited about this as it would mean a great scoop if she can find the connection. Takuya rides away on his motorbike for a piece of exposition by the narrator. As he stares into the setting sun, he wonders if this is the work of the Iron Cross Army.

At the Iron Cross base, the bug monster thing is continues to shoot lasers at the thief and giving the viewer seizures. It appears to be some kind of hypnotism. Amazoness orders 001 to do their bidding under Spider-Man’s name. He’s basically going to do what he usually does, except with a few more pieces of destruction. Professor Monster is convinced that the fake Spider-Man will draw out the real one so that he can be destroyed.

Thus begins the Phantom Thief Okabe’s crime spree throughout the greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area. He basically does the cat burglar thing and spray paints “Spider-Man was here” on the walls. Takuya Yamashiro reads these incidents in the newspaper and decides to get involved. His girlfriend bothers Det. Matsumoto, while Takuya is close by in his Spider-Man suit. She flirts with him and talks about he’ll be the man of the year if she can get these photos. Spider-Man is too busy trying to cling on to the walls to feel any jealousy.

Climbing on a building

Three hours later they arrive at the spot of 001’s latest escapade. Spider-Man swings across to the building, and climbs up its wall rather slowly and makes it to the crime scene. He chases after the thief, while Hitomi and Matsumoto go to the crime scene. Spidey catches up, but the monster appears and helps Okabe escape.

The next day at breakfast, Takuya is reading the news rather intensely. Shinko and Takuji remark that he’s starting to resemble their father because of the way he’s acting this morning. Hitomi comes in and moans about last night’s stakeout failure, and eats Takuya’s breakfast. In his room, Takuya figures out what the Iron Cross is really doing and figures out what area is Okabe going to hit next.

That night, he goes around the city looking for any trace of 001, and sees a young man flipping around like a skilled gymnast. That guy even avoids a car that was about to hit him. Takuya changes and goes after the thief. He tackles the thief, but before he can do anything, the Iron Cross Army attacks. Amazoness growls at the emissary from hell, as if he did something terrible to her, as usual. Spider-Man jumps around as usual and ties up some Ninders with his Spider-Net. The monster attacks and Spider-Man nearly loses his footing and retreats for now. Amazoness goes and tries to kill Okabe, but our hero arrives on time to save him.

Spider-Man calls for his car and they drive for a good part of the morning. I’m surprised nobody even cared about this weird machine. They arrive at the amusement park and Spidey gives the thief his talk on not doing evil, especially with the Iron Cross Army. Okabe starts talking about his time in the circus and how he dreamed of becoming the “world’s greatest acrobat.” He began his crime spree in order to fund his own circus.

Machine Bem Genoyouchu

Spider-Man tells the kid to turn himself in just as the Ninders arrive to get their butts kicked. Some even come in a roller coaster barrel. He distracts them by turning on the tea cups, among many things. The fight goes to the forest and surrounding mountains. The monster appears and begins flashing his lights once again. The rope-slinger laughs triumphantly as the rays don’t even work in sunlight. He jumps toward Spider-Man and begins to fight. With only a few minutes left he grows to monster size, calling himself Genyouchu! The Marveller stock footage plays and he is quickly dispatched. This time the footage is a little more dragged out than usual as the monster shoots his mouth out like an anchor, but an Arc Turn and Sword Vigor finishes him off like that.

The episode abruptly ends as usual, and besides once the monster grows big, you can just skip ahead to the end, nothing much is going to happen anyway.